This invention generally relates to apparatus for testing and indicating the strengths of muscles; and, more specifically, to apparatus especially well-suited to test and indicate the strengths of individual muscles.
Recently, equipment has been developed to objectively and quantitatively measure the strength of individual muscles. As a therapeutic tool, such devices are very helpful in that they help a therapist identify specific muscles that need to be strengthened and to design a program that will help those particular muscles. Moreover, a quantitative measurement will tell not only which muscles are weak, but also how weak those muscles are. Further, as a person is undergoing treatment, an objective measure of the progress he or she is making, first, helps the therapist modify the treatment program, if necessary, and second, allows the patient to witness personally the fact that his or her muscles are getting stronger with therapy, which often encourages the patient to continue the treatment. In addition, often a patient may believe he or she is fully recovered and will discontinue treatment. An accurate, quantitative and objective measure of the strength of each muscle may show otherwise, however, and convince the patient to continue treatment.
As an exercise training tool, an objective and quantitative measurement of the strength of individual muscles will help a person or a trainer develop a highly personalized exercise program that concentrates on the muscles that need the most work. Occasional retesting will enable an individual to observe personally the progress he or she is making, and will help show how effective a particular exercise program is and, if it becomes advisable to do so, how a program should be modified. An individual may test and record the strengths of his or her muscles while healthy to provide a personal standard; and if that person is later injured, he or she, while recovering, can compare his or her muscle strengths against that recorded standard to determine whether the muscles have adequately recovered before resuming a particular activity, thus lessening the risk of a re-injury or of a new injury.
Prior art devices for testing and indicating the strengths of individual muscles are somewhat cumbersome to use. To elaborate, these devices are normally changed from one position to another to test different muscles, but usually kept in a fixed position while any one particular muscle is being tested. With prior art devices, it is sometimes difficult and time consuming to position the device properly to test some muscles; and, while testing certain muscles, it is likewise occasionally difficult to keep the device in the desired, fixed position. Indeed, because of these difficulties, prior art devices are, as a practical matter, not effective to test certain muscles.
Moreover, prior art devices provide an indication of the force being developed by a particular muscle at a given instant in time, and this gives information about the strength of the muscle. While this is useful information, having an objective and quantitative indication of the strength and endurance of a muscle over a period of time such as 30 or 40 seconds, would normally be much more helpful to a trainer or a therapist.